Arthur's Repose
by brodie-wan
Summary: Following the events of the film, Arthur deals with a side effect of shared dreams. Slightly AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Author note:** I can't really explain this one. I started out wanting to follow Arthur after the job and see what he would do. I see him as a reserved kind of guy and also potentially lonely. As I started writing, the idea of repose presented itself and I just let it come. This is slightly AU, but still fits within the context of the film. I hope you enjoy.

**Arthur's Repose**

Arthur was exhausted. It wasn't something that showed in his face or in his demeanor, however. He always appeared alert, well put together, neat. It was something deeper, something Cobb never warned him about, yet something he had long sense learned to manage.

After leaving the airport, he checked into the closest, finest hotel he could find. Delicately laying his coat on a chair by the dining room table, he walked to the bed and lay down precisely in the center. He crossed his legs tightly and placed his hands behind his head. It was his perfect position for rest. One might not think he could completely relax in this position. They would be wrong. It was his mold, his most comfortable state of being. When awake, of course.

The first time he came out of a shared dream, he felt immediately refreshed. His senses sang and he had heightened awareness. The trouble with a high like that is the inevitable crash. It hit without warning, usually two to three hours after waking. It wasn't a physical fatigue, as the body was not what was put through the ringer. It was an exhaustion of the brain. The best way to describe it is a semi-conscious catatonia. The brain shuts down, but not completely. The mind and senses are aware to a point, but the ability of the brain to send instructions to the rest of the body is interrupted.

When Ariadne stormed from the staging area after first sharing a dream, Arthur had been poised to follow her. Dom shrugged it off saying she'd be back. She came back two hours later fell into 'repose' shortly thereafter. You think she was mad the first time. When she was finally able to function again, she made Dom sorry he hadn't warned about that little side effect.

As he lay on the bed, Arthur began to review the Fischer job. Sometimes, he wondered why he risked his life working with Cobb. They were friends, and long time co-workers in job that a very small pool from which to draw. When Mal died, he changed. He was haunted; and righteously so. But when Mal started showing up on jobs, he knew that Dom had not truly dealt with his grief. His instability almost cost them their lives, much less a second consecutive failure.

But Cobb wasn't who he wanted to think about as repose drew closer. He wanted a pleasant image to peruse in his down time.

Ariadne.

He had invited her to join him to ride out the repose. She politely declined; deciding to do so in private. He understood, but felt a pang of disappointment. None the less, he added her name to his room at check in. Just in case. He was intrigued by her; by her mind, her ability, and by her obvious emotional volatility.

She was such a precious creat-

When he came back to himself, he found her lying on the couch. He sat in the chair opposite her and smiled. He noticed an almost imperceptible upturn of the left side of her mouth. He sat back in the chair and waited.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note: So, this was never intended to be more than a one shot, but muses have a way of coming and going without warning. I decided after posting chapter one that this fic could still be the fic I started to write; a Arthur/Ariadne slow burn.**

**Thank you to those who took the time to review. Emma, I appreciate the comments you made about the idea of 'repose'. They were inspiring words and I am grateful for them. **

**On to Chapter 2. I hope you all enjoy it as much the first. And, though it can be scary, don't hesitate to leave a review if you like what you've read. ;-) **

**Arthur's Repose**

**Chapter 2**

Arthur's eyes had gotten heavy and were near closing when she shot forward. Her motion was sudden and powerful. He was so caught off guard that he jerked forward as well, falling from the chair. Her momentum tipped her from the couch on top of him.

"Shit!" Ariadne exclaimed, currently face to face with her host. "Ouch!"

Arthur blinked. Though their current state of entanglement may have appeared comedic to some, it was not. "You ok?"

"Fine," she replied, curtly, wriggling against him as her motor skills reemerged. Her motions sparked sensations within him which he wasn't sure he wanted to catch fire. As if the situation wasn't already awkward enough.

"Take your time," he said, reassuringly. "Just relax."

"This never gets easier, does it?" she breathed, ignoring his advice. She propped herself up and moved to his right resting against the couch. She was stiff. The limited range of motion her body allowed irritated her.

"I'm afraid not," he replied, standing. He straightened his tie and tugged the bottom of his vest. "Water?"

"Yeah," she said trying a smile and failing. "That would be terrific."

He retrieved a bottle of water from the refrigerator, cracked the cap, and offered it her. She took it from him, greedily, and drained the small contained in large gulps. She would pay for that later, but he wasn't about to say anything now.

"Is there another one?" she asked, breathlessly, handing him the empty.

"Sure," he said, a small smile appearing on his lips. He placed the bottle on a nearby end table and retrieved another.

"Why did you ask me to come here?" she said without preamble.

He shrugged as he rounded the couch and proffered the water. "Take it easy with this one. I'd prefer not to hear your screams of pain when the cramps hit."

She grimaced. "Nice dodge."

"No dodge," he replied evenly, sitting next to her on the floor. "I asked you to come with me because I knew you had nowhere to go. And, even though I'm sure you can take care of yourself, I thought you might want some familiar company."

"What about _you_?" she asked.

"What about _me_?" he replied, unphased.

"I'm sure your motives weren't wholly altruistic."

He dug both hands into pockets of his pants and looked away from her. "Wow."

"Come on, Arthur," she pressed.

He turned back to her, noticing that she had moved from the floor to a sitting position on the couch. He swallowed and felt heat rise in his neck. He shook it off. "I think the more important question is: why did you come?"

She looked at him sharply. "I didn't realize I was at the dentist. This is like pulling teeth. Just tell me."

He knew if would only antagonize her, but he couldn't help but say: "You're cranky."

Her shoulders slumped and her eyes fell in supposed defeat. "No, Arthur, I'm tired; which is ironic considering all the sleep we got on the plane. Throw the lovely partying gift of temporary paralysis, a dash male denial, and you might begin to see why I'm not footloose and fancy free."

Her voice bounce around the large hotel room and brief wave of guilt passed though him. He returned to the chair from which he watched over her.

"Fair enough, Ariandne," he said, his hands resting on their respective legs. "I invited you here because I didn't feel like being alone. Satisfied?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note: It's short. I know. I know. It's short. I've had an interruption of inspiration on this story and I apologize. I'm posting this chapter to get it out there and hope that come creativity kicks in for the next one. At least I hope there is a next one. I hope you enjoy this 'fast food' chapter. **

**Arthur's Repose **

**Chapter 3**

She regarded him silently, an amused look somewhere between 'now, how hard was that' and thankfulness that he had chosen her above other options for companionship. He had used those other methods in the past, but it was always more of a decompression that any sort of real companionship. For such a young man, he felt older than time. Except when with her. He returned her amused look with a curious one of his own.

"What?" she said, innocently.

"You seem amused by the prospect of my loneliness," he replied, affecting a frown.

She slowly raised the water bottle to her lips and took a conservative sip.

"Satisfied?" she responded, mischievously.

He smirked. "In fact, I am. I was serious about those cramps.

She tried to stand, but there was hitch in her hip and it locked up. For a moment she was suspended between the couch and chair, loss of balance a mere second away. She let out a string of expletives which he absorbed in stride as he stood and took her hands, ignoring the water flowing freely into the carpet. He eased her back onto the couch.

"I think we should talk later," he said, softly. "You should rest. Get the repose out your system."

She started to protest, shooting him a defiant glare, but it almost immediately lost strength. She lowered her eyed to her useless legs.

"Repose," she said dejectedly. "There's irony for you. I guess it fits literally, but figuratively it's a sham.

He nodded in agreement, briefly remembering his first repose after a job.

"Do you mind helping with my legs?"

"Of course," he said, shaken from his reverie. He placed hand at her should and another under her knees. She was already sitting so there was no need to pick her up, but once he felt the warmth of the skin of her neck on his wrist, he found he didn't want to let go. The feeling of intimacy related to such an innocuous touch was overpowering. He shifted her into a prone position and situated the pillows beneath her head. He watched as she adjusted her position for maximum comfort. When closed her eyes, he chaffed a little at the dismissal.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, ma'am?" he asked with a reserved edge.

Her eyes opened slowly as she turned to meet his. "Don't be mad, Arthur," she pleaded. "I'm just so tired. You've been so kind and…I'm glad I'm here. I'm glad you asked me. I'm just so…Tell me a story. Let me rest."

He was taken aback by her sudden emotional outburst. It was a strange shift from the sarcastic irritability. He wasn't sure how to handle it. One minute she's chiding him for being aloof, the next she's begging his forgiveness. She wasn't like any woman he'd ever known. Most of them were either ambitious, parasitical, professional, or just plain plastic. Ariadne was, for lack of a better word, real; which, for him, was more like a dream.

This situation, being here with her, was turning out nothing like he thought it would. Of course, he wasn't really sure what to expect. The one thing he hung his hat on was the fact that she hadn't slapped him when they kissed.

"Just close your eyes," he said, softly. "I've got the perfect story. Once upon a time, there was a girl named Alice…"


End file.
